AlO-iancaster Fanning, Saturday, December 20,1986
OPINION
The Christmas Story
And it came to pass in those
days, that there went out a decree
from Caesar Augustus, that all the
world should be taxed. (And this
taxing was first made when Cy
ree-ni-us was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one
into his own city. And Joseph also
went up from Galilee, out of the
city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto
the city of David, which is called
Bethlehem; (because he was of the
house and lineage of David:) To be
taxed with Mary his espoused wife,
being great with child. And so it
was, that, while they were there,
the days were accomplished that
she should be delivered. And she
brought forth her firstborn son,
and wrapped him in swaddling
clothes, and laid him in a manger;
because there was no room for
them in the inn.
And there were in the same
country shepherds abiding in the
field, keeping watch over their
flock by night. And, 10, the angel of
the Lord came upon them, and the
glory of the Lord shone round
about them: and they were sore
afraid. And the angel said unto
them, fear not; for, behold, I bring
you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people. For
unto you is bom this day in the city
of David a Saviour, which is Christ
the Lord. And this shall be a sign
Farm Calendar
Monday, December 22
RCMA meeting, 1 p.m., Room B,
Farm Show Building,
Harrisburg.
Thursday, January 1 Roundup, Lebanon
Annual Family Style Pork and Fairgrounds; show, 10 a.m.,
Sauerkraut Dinner, Leola War sale, 6 p.m.
FARM FORUM
OUR READERS WRITE
Dear Editor;
How can I obtain more in
formation about the committee
that is forming in Pennsylvania-
Tbe Dairy of Distinction Program
that is going into effect?
We are told over and over again
we have the most beautiful farm
around. And we are proud to ship
milk from here. Something like
this means much more to me than
to have 15 cents taken off for ad
vertising milk after the dairy has it
all torn apart.
GEE.' UNCLE OTIS, X DON'T
KNOW WHY PEOPLE SAV
TMAT CHRISTMAS COSTS .
unto you; Ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes,
lying in a manger. And suddenly
there was with the angel a
multitude of the heavenly host
praising God, and saying, Glory to
God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the
angels were gone away from them
into heaven, the shepherds said
one to another, Let us now go even
unto Bethlehem, and see this think
which is come to pass, which the
Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and
found Mary, and Joseph, and the
babe lying in a manger. And when
they had seen it, they made known
abroad the saying which was told
them concerning this child. All all
they that heard it wondered at
those things which were told them
by the shepherds.
The people that walked in
darkness have seen a great light:
they that dwell in the land of the
shadow of death, upon them hath
the light shined.
For unto us a child is born, unto
us a son is given: and the govern
ment shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall -be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty
God, The everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace.
Memorial Building, noon to 6
p.m.
Friday, January 2
Lebanon County Livestock
I read your “Opinion” article so
I thought maybe you could give
some information.
Hilda M.Blatt
Jonestown
Editor’s Note:
The requested information is
being forwarded. Anyone else who
has an interest in helping with
their district program or who
would like to apply for the award,
may write to this editor until the
program is more fully organized.
NOW IS
THE TIME
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
To Protect
EvergreeirTrees
Many property owners become
concerned at this time of the year
about the possible loss of valuable
evergreens to Christmas tree
“thieves.” To protect trees the
following “ugly mix” recipe has
been developed and recommended
by Cornell Plantations Gardener,
GeradoSciarra.
This easy-to-make concoction is
designed to temporarily render
treated trees unsightly. Here is the
recipe: Pour 2 gallons of warm
water into a large bowl. Mix
separately 20 ounces of hydrated
lime with 4 ounces of an an
tidessicant, until a uniform paste is
produced. Fold the paste slowly
into the water. When the mixture is
an even, light milky color, add 2
bottles of pink or other brightly
colored food coloring. Blend until
the mixture is a uniform color.
Then spray or splatter the
material on the trees you wish to
protect. The weather should be
mild and dry at the time. Rains
will gradually wash the “ugly
mix” off.
To Consider
Manure Nutrients
Did you know that on the
average, more nutrients are
brought onto the farm in feed for
the animals than fertilizer pur
chases? Well, that may be a sur
prising fact but research has
shown this to be true in southeast
Pennsylvania. This serves to make
a point for considering the im
portance of manure management.
In the past, management of
manure nutrients has “taken the
back seat” to other management
problems. The research done in
this area in the past several years
has had the same conclusion;
taking a closer look at the benefits
you are receiving from manure
applications is a profitable idea! It
is time to turn the manure problem
into an opportunity.
To Prepare For
Slippery Conditions
Slippery roads, walks and steps
will be a common hazard in the
next few months. Many people use
salt too freely in cutting the ice; it
may get the job done but also may
injure nearby turf or shrubbery.
I’d suggest the use of sand or
sawdust. These materials will
make the surface safe without
possible injury to vegetation. In
areas without any vegetation, salt
will give good results. Along our
main highways there is some
evidence that the constant use of
salt is inflicting injury to nearby
trees and shrubs. Don’t let this
happen to your favorite tree, shrub
or the turf lining your walk.
An area of our operation that is
very important at this time of year
is inventory. With the close of the
year most of our farmers close-out
their records for the year. This
means that if you are going to have
a Farm Analysis made, you should
take inventory of all your supplies.
You’ll need this to do any kind of
Income Tax Meeting Set For January
DOYLESTOWN - Tax
preparers, farmers, homemakers,
and other interested individuals
can secure information about
federal income tax at the 1987
income tax area meeting to be
conducted in Quakertown on
Wednesday, Jan. 7. According to
Richard A. Bailey, county ex
tension director, discussion of
recent changes in tax law should
make this year’s meeting very
informative.
The topics covered at the
meetings will range from a look at
new developments to a review of
important tax principles. The
program will include a discussion
of recent changes in tax law,
deducting expenses for business
use of autos and pickups, taxes and
financial distress, a review of
several practical tax filing
exercises, and more. Handout
materials will be provided to
support discussion by the in
structors. Jesse Cooper and Larry
Jenkins, Extension economists
with Penn State University, will
Background Scripture: Luke 2:1-
20; John 1:14-18; Galatians 4:4-7;
Hebrews 2:14-18.
Devotional Reading: Hebrews
4:14-16.
There are two births we
celebrate at Christmastime. And
* one is incomplete without the
other,
The first of these is the obvious
one:
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail the incarnate Deity.
Christmas is a celebration, now
that Jesus was bom in Bethlehem,
but that in the birth of Jesus God
became incarnate - the “Wholly
Other” became enfleshed in
human form. So Christmas tells us
who God is, that is, Of course, so far
as it is possible for human beings
to understand who and what He is.
The writer of John’s Gospel says,
“No one has ever seen God; the
only Son ...has made him known”
(Johnl:18).
The Incarnation was not just a
spectacular divine demonstration
to amaze and amuse his children,
but the supreme act by which God
reveals himself to us. The writer of
the Letter to the Hebrews says, “In
many and various ways God spoke
of old to our fathers by the
prophets; but in these last days he
To Take
Inventory
MADE LIKE US
December 21,1986
farm analysis, because the amount
of grain, hay and other supplies
that are in storage will vary from
year to year, and unless this is
taken into consideration, you
cannot have an accurate analysis
of your year’s operation. So, as
accurately as possible, record the
amount of hay, grain, feed, seeds
and fertilizer that are on hand.
This is the first step in an accurate
farm analysis.
serve as instructors for each of the
sessions.
Starting time for the income tax
meeting is 9 a.m. The session will
end at about 4 p.m. The meeting
will be held at Meyers Restaurant,
Route 309, Quakertown. The
registration fee is $25 per person
including lunch and reference
materials to be used during the
day. Additional reference
materials, including a Master Tax
Guide, may be purchased for a
small extra fee. The registration
deadline is January 1, 1987 and
persons registering after that date
will be charged a late registration
fee of $5.
A brochure/registration form
and more information about the
one-day income tax meeting is
available at the Bucks County
Penn State Cooperative Extension
Office. Questions about the
meetings may be directed to
Richard A. Bailey, County Ex
tension Director, who can be
reached by telephone at 345-3283.
has spoken to us by a Son ...He
reflects the glory of God and bears
the very stamp of his nature...”
(Hebrews 1:1-3).
AS MAN
Pleased ms man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Not only did God fully express
himself, but he did so in the form of
a human being, a child who would
become known as Jesus. God
revealed himself as “a man with
men.” How often we think the
speak of human nature in negative
terms, but, as Hebrews tells us,
“Since therefore the children
share in the flesh and blood, he
himself likewise partook of the
same nature... he had to be made
like his brethren in every
respect...” (Hebrews 2:14,17).
Jesus didn’t just look like us, or
seem to be like us, he was made
“like us in every respect.” We can
identify with him because we are
assured that, as a human being, he
knows all of our human frailties,
temptations and concerns.
In the early centuries of the
Christian Church, the hearsay of
docetism became a threat to the
Gospel. Docetists believed that,
although Jesus appeared to be in
human form, he wasn’t really a
human. They said, in effect, that
he was really God in the disguise of
a human being. Even though the
docetist threat was officially
condemned by the Church and the
group eventually disappeared,
Docetism has often survived in the
minds of Christians who do not
take seriously the full humanity of
Jesus. They continue to think of
him as God in disguise. But that
isn’t what the Bible says and
Hebrews doesn’t say that he was
like us in some respects, but “in all
respects...”
SECOND BIRTH
l on to nifo Mm son* ofoarth,
Bom to give thorn stcond birth.
It is the “second birth” that
many people miss at Christmas,
the “birth” of God’s other “sons.”
Jesus was bom as God’s Son so
that we might realize our own
“second birth” as sons of God.
“But when the time had fully
come, God sent forth his Son... so
that we might receive adoption as
sons” (Hebrews 4:4,5). He became
“like us in every respect” so that
we might become like him.
(Based on copyrighted Outlines produced by the
Committee on the Uniform Series and used by
permission Released by Community & Suburban
Press)